This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing a chemical.
Chemicals in the form of air fresheners are traditionally used in the form of blocks or gels which vaporise, or in the form of aerosols. The blocks or gels are usually contained in a container which, when opened, constantly releases the air freshening chemical over a period. This type of air freshener is only effective for a few days because the air freshener is constantly being dispensed and the human brain tends to get used to the smell after a few days and then the air freshening smell is no longer noticed and is thus no longer effective. A further problem with the blocks or gels is that air movement is required to spread the air freshener and therefore its aroma effectively around a room. The aerosol sprays do not suffer from the problem of being constantly released because they have to be manually operated. However, it is not always convenient to have to manually operate an aerosol spray. Still further, the spray is effective for a very short period only as the sprayed chemical does not stay airborne for very long.
It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.
Accordingly, the present invention provides apparatus for dispensing a chemical, which apparatus comprises an aerosol container which contains the chemical, electromagnetic means, and control means, the electromagnetic means being operable between a first state in which the chemical is not dispensed from the aerosol container and a second state in which the chemical is dispensed from the aerosol container, and the control means being such as to control the operation of the electromagnetic means such that the electromagnetic means is in the second state for predeterminable periods, and the apparatus being characterised in that the electromagnetic means extends around the aerosol container, and magnetically attractable material is provided for the aerosol container such that the aerosol container is able to be moved by the electromagnetic means for the purpose of dispensing the chemical from the aerosol container.
The apparatus may be one in which the electromagnetic means causes the aerosol container to move such that when the electromagnetic means goes from the first state to the second state then the aerosol container is caused to move to a position in which it releases the chemical, and when the electromagnetic means goes from the second state to the first state then the aerosol container is caused to move to a position in which it does not release the chemical. Other arrangements may be employed if desired.
Preferably, the aerosol container has an outlet valve which is depressed when the aerosol container is caused to move to the position in which it releases the chemical.
The aerosol container may be mounted on spring means which biases the aerosol container towards the position in which it releases the chemical. The spring means is preferably a coil spring but other types of spring means may be employed.
The aerosol container may be made of the magnetically attractable material. In this case, the electromagnetic means is able to attract the aerosol container when the aerosol container has to be moved. The aerosol container may be made of a magnetically attractable material such for example as a ferrous material.
Many aerosol containers currently manufactured are made of aluminium or a plastics material. The aluminium or the plastics material is a non-magnetically attractable material which means that the electromagnetic means would not normally be able to attract by magnetism the aerosol container. This problem may be overcome in two ways. Firstly, the aerosol container may be made of a non-magnetically attractable material which is then provided with the magnetically attractable material, for example in the form of a plate or a ring secured to the outer wall of the aerosol container. Secondly, the problem may be overcome by having the aerosol container made of the non-magnetically attractable material and then having the aerosol container being held in a holder made of the magnetically attractable material. The holder can then be magnetically attracted by the electromagnetic means, in which case the aerosol container will move with the holder. The aerosol container can be arranged to be a removable fit in the holder so that the aerosol container can easily be replaced when it is empty.
The electromagnetic means and the control means may be battery powered and/or mains powered and/or solar powered. When the electromagnetic means and the control means are battery powered, then the apparatus may include a battery compartment for one or more batteries.
The electromagnetic means may be a solenoid. Other types of electromagnetic means may however be employed.
The control means may be a switch. The switch may be a manually operated switch. The manually operated switch may be a push button switch or a lever switch.
The apparatus of the invention may include a housing. The precise shape and size of the housing will normally depend upon the intended use of the apparatus of the invention. Thus, for example, if the apparatus is to be used in a room to dispense a chemical into the air, then the housing will usually be small and it may be of a circular, square or rectangular shape. If the apparatus is to be used in a vacuum cleaner, then the housing may be a housing of the vacuum cleaner.
The apparatus of the invention may be such as to spray direct where the chemical is required, for example into the air or direct on to furnishings such for example as a carpet or curtains. In this case, the aerosol container will normally be positioned substantially adjacent an outlet where the direct spraying is required.
Alternatively, if desired, the apparatus may include conduit means for extending from the aerosol container to a position in which the chemical is required to be released. In this case, the aerosol container and its associated electromagnetic means may be positioned relatively remote from the area where the chemical is required to be released.
The chemical in the aerosol container may be any of the known chemicals currently dispensed from aerosol containers, including liquids and powders. If the chemical is for use on a carpet, then the chemical may be to make the carpet smell fresh and/or to control pests such for example as carpet mites. The chemical may consist of or contain a fragrance for giving fragrant air and removing the smell which is very commonly associated with vacuum cleaners as dust bags or dust compartments fill up with dirt. Dry powder chemicals may be dispensed with electrical safety from the vacuum cleaner. Where the chemical is a liquid, then appropriate safety features should be employed to ensure that the liquid spray does not contact current-carrying parts of the vacuum cleaner.